Boy, 15, in critical condition after multi-vehicle crash

A 15-year-old boy was in critical condition following a three-vehicle crash that injured four others Jan. 3 on Highway 61 (Forest Boulevard) near the border of Forest Lake and Wyoming.

The crash forced authorities to close the highway for several hours just north of the border of Washington and Chisago counties.

According to the State Patrol, a southbound Chevy Malibu stopped to make a left turn into Maranatha Assembly of God when it was struck from behind by a van driven by a Forest Lake man. The collision pushed the Malibu into the northbound lane, where it was struck by another van. The northbound van was driven by a Wyoming man and carried a female from Forest Lake.

The incident took place just after 3:30 p.m.

The driver of the Malibu, a 36-year-old female from Pine City, was ejected. According to the State Patrol incident report, she was not wearing her seat belt. She was taken to Regions in St. Paul with non-life-threatening injuries. Her son, the 15-year-old, remains in critical condition at Children’s Hospital.

The driver of the southbound van and the driver and passenger of the northbound van all suffered minor injuries.